Do people need to fail to truly learn investing? The answer often lies in experience. Many beginners enjoy a “beginner’s luck” phase, where initial wins create overconfidence. They chase hype stocks, over-leverage, or ignore proper research, only to face inevitable losses. These failures, while painful, often become the foundation for smarter investing.


Charlie Munger once said, “There are no value investors under the sage of 40.” His point? True investing wisdom comes from trial and error. Failures teach critical lessons: the importance of patience, risk management, and emotional control. A loss drives home the dangers of overconfidence and highlights the need for diversification and long term thinking in ways theory never can.


While some may learn through observation, most need to feel the sting of a poor decision to internalize the discipline required. In the end, failure isn’t the opposite of success - it’s a crucial step towards becoming a better investor.